System and apparatus for handling freight



A ril 21,1933. B. F. FITCH Y 302,010

, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FREIGBT Filed July 14, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Aprii 2E, 1931. I 3, FlTcH 1,802,010

SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FREIGHT Filed July 14, 192 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F- G 4 gmwntw MY mg April 21, 193i. a. F. FITCH SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FREIGHT Filed July 14, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Jmnntoc ML... h

MQMALJQ ILN April 21, 1931.

Filed July 14, 1926 B. F. FITCH 1,802,010

SYSTEI AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FREIGHT 5 sheets -Sheet 4 15mm gnxzilv April 21, 1931. B. F. mcH I 1,802,010

SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FREIGHT Filed July 14, 1926 5 shets-sneet s 0 J Fl Gr.' 3 3 I grmentoz allofmq Patented A r. 21, 1931 UNITED STAT S nmsmmn'rmore :2:

GOIIAIYJJI' GE, WIIIGEICUT ASSIGIOL 1'0 IO'IOB'TBRIIIIAIB I, DELAWARE, A-oomom'non OI DELAWARE m nu) mans-ms Ion Application am July 14, 1926. Serial 10.1m

This invfention relates his; 1:: mithod azpld aparatus orhandhng' twerein e f eight is stored in removsble automobile bodies which are then handled as a unit. ding suchsystems to permit the freight in an expeditious manlarge scale, it has heretofore been 1 to employ overhead traveling raising and transportmg the conalong a station platform. As the system gradually expands, the necessity for ve lengths of crane runways .then becomes an objection, not only from the viewpoint of equipment required, but also item the viewpoint of time consumed in w u gthe containers from one end of the arm to another. Moreover, in certain locations building conditions are such that overhead cranes cannot be readily inand operated in a satisfactory v The principal object of the present invention is to facilitate the handling of freight lay the use of removable containers on a large scale so .as eliminate the necessity for overhead cranes with objech'onable long crane runways Moreover, I contemplate the provision of a system whereby the of freight in containers as a Ina greatly facilitated to permit the tto be loaded or unloaded at a breakpoint.

One method of the objectionable long crane runways is to construct the containers in such manner that a load-lifts may beneath the bottom of a container, it and transport it from one place to another. In practice, however, containers have such great weight and in order to support the load it will be necessary to the container floor an appreciable above the ground to odate the floor joists.

If the floor joists are raised above the no position, then in order to allow a X a; truck to extend under the container, it would be necessary to raise the floor surface to such an extent above the gronnd that it would be impractical to emway ploy a ramp for hand trucking freight to and from the container.

I have solved this problem by employing a power truck which is adapted to enga e the load on the outer sides thereof near t e bottom and to lift it a slight distance off the ground, and then to transport it from place to place upon a platform. In this I can eliminate the necessity for overhead traveling cranes which extend the entire length of the platform, and at the same time can effect suitable transfer of containers without raising the container floor to an objectionable height from the ground.

Thus,I can extend the system to permit the handling of freight on an almost unlimited scale while maintaining the advantages inherent in a system embodying removable automobile body containers.

In the drawings Fig. 1 shows a station platform having a set of railroad tracks extending along one side and a truck platform along the other side with various forms of load e apparatus for carrying out my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of a container she a load truck about to engage the container; Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the container raised slightly above the ground; Fig. 4 is a plan view ofside 11, and a truck-runway 12 alon the opposite side and as being positione for enabling containers indicated at 13, to be positioned cross-wise of the platform with a hand truck-runway on each side of the container. This view also shows a plurality of overhead cranes indicated in general at 14 and 15 respectively, by means of which a. container may transferred between a truck on the runway and a. station platform.

In addition, there are shown load. lifting trucks 20 and 21 respectively, each of which is provided with means for engaging a con tainer and raising it slightly above the platform to any desired position.

One wa which I have shown of effecting the trans er of a container across the platform includes the use of a load lifting power truck which is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 as having a pair of arms 25 which are adapted to extend longitudinally of the, container and on opposite sides thereof. These arms may comprise beams which embody part of the truck frame and may be supported at one end by a set of wheels 26, and at the opposite end by sets of wheels 27. The truck has mechanism including a motor in dicated in eneral at 28, for propelling it along the p atform and also has mechanism for raising a container a slight distance above the platform. This mechanism shown has beams 30 which have a plurality of s aced projections 31 adjacent the under sides thereof. These projections are arranged to enter complementary shaped recesses 32 and associated arms 25. Provision is made for moving the beams longitudinally of a container and relatively to the beams 25wherefore the beams 30 are raised vertically with. reference to the beam 25 when members 30 are moved toward the operating end of the truck. This follows by reason of the inclined surfaces 33 on the rojections 31 which engage inclined suraces 34 and the cooperating recess. 7

When the; arms 25 are positioned along the side of the container then the vertical movement of the beams 30 with reference to the arms will effect the raising of the load sincethe upper surfaces of the beams engage members 37 which roject outwardly from the side of the loa These members may be angle brackets'which extend the entire length of the container or as shown in Figs. 2 and 6 they may be relatively short spaced brackets which are rigidly connected as by securing members 40 to the load supporting straps 38 on the sides of the containers. To permit the free movement of the beams 30 with reference to beams 25 I may employ a plurality of rollers between the two members the usual way. I am not concerned, however, in this application with the details of the truck construction insofar as this feature is concerned, nor with the mechanism for moving the beams 30-with reference to the beams 25. I'have merely indicated the mechanism as embodying a motor 41 surmounted on the truck adjacent the-operating in an expeditious manner, I provide yield- .able members which are carried by the outer. truck adjacent the arms and fimction be easily directed to engage opposite sides of the load. Thereafter on continued forward motion of the truck, the operator can readily maintain aforward motion in the proper direction since the yieldable-supports gui e the track in the proper direction. These yieldable members in preferred form as shown in Fig. 6 embody U-shaped members having a top portion 50, a bottom portion 52 and a connecting portion 51. All three portions extend substantially the entire length of the beams 30 and are arranged to move laterally with reference thereto. Springs 54 and 55 are adapted to-engage the bottom portion and connecting portion respectively and are adapted to ur themember inwardly toward the load. gdch inward motion, however, is limited by a shoulder 56 on the top portion which'may engage a shoulder on a key 57, which in turn is embedded in the top of the beam 30. A connecting slot 57' in the top portion makes a splined connection between the beam and top portion which permits lateral motion and prevents longitudinal motion of the member with refeience to the beam.

In positioning the upper truck with reference to the load, I may provide spaced pockets 58 in the top portions of the yieldable guide member into which :1 depending portion 59 of the brackets may extend. As the beams 30 are elevated with reference to the beams 25, the brackets will enter the pockets, wherefore the load will be satisfactorily held in adjusted position during the raising portion.

A modified construction for effecting engagement with a load by the use of power lift trucks is shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 wherein the load has a pocket 65 within the bottom thereof, with a pin 66 extending across the pocket and therefore inside. the

wall of the body. Laterally shiftable latch members 67 carried on the beams 30 may engage beneath the pin 66 so as to effect a liftin connection on the body whenever the loa lifting mechanism on the truck is actuated. In the preferred form I have shown four of such latch members, two on ,each frame of the truck .and have illustrated a bell crank 69.'for actuating each member. If desired, all bell cranks ma .be

actuated simultaneously by rods 70 w 'ch connect the two bell cranks on each frame and a cross rod 71' which connects the two ends of the rods 70. Any convenient means ma be utilized for moving the cross bar 71 mm the operators position on the truck.

V tively heavy load in size,

wheels 27 To permit the handling of a compara- I employ load supporting wheels 27 preferably arranged in pairs at each end of the truck arms. Morein order to facilitate movement of the in a limited space, I so mount the that they may be turned conjointly with or independently of the wheels 26.

truck and 7-, one form of. steering mechanism is illustrated wherein an operating handle 80 rigidly mounted upon a vertically extending shaft 81 is arranged to guide both the forward and rearward wheels simultaneously or individually as desired. To this end I have shown-the shaft 81 as having one member 82 of a jaw clutch rigidly mounted thereon and as having cooperating members 83 and 84 which are normally urged into engagement with the member 82 by means of springs 85 and 86 respectively. The clutch, however, may be selectively disengaged" fromthe member 82 In Figs. 5

by a/hand actuated lever 87 which is piv0t-' ally connected at 88 to the. truck frame within the shaft 81 and is operatively con-- nected to the clutch members 83 and 84 by a vertical link 89 and horizontal links 90 and 91 respectively. Slots 92 and 93 in the vertical link determine the particular clutch member whichis to be actuated whenever the lever 87 is operated. For example, in Fig. 7 the lever 87 is shown in a position wherein both clutch members 83 .and 84 are in engagement with the member 82.

' Under this condition, both the forward and rearward wheels will be turned. simultaneously. If, however, the lever 87 is moved upwardly thereto, throwing the clutch mem ber 83 out of engagement with the member 82, then only one set of wheels will be actuated whenever the handle 80 is turned. On the other hand, if the member 87 is moved to downward position, then the member 84 will be thrown out of engagement with the member 82 and the member 83 will be locked into engagement, wherefore movement of the handle 80 will turn the other set ,of wheels. 1

In Fig. 5, I have shown diagrammatically a form of steering apparatus wherein one set of wheels indicated at 26 are intercom nected bylinks 95, 96'and 97 and arearran ed to be operativelyconnected to the sha 81 by links 98, 99 and'100 respectively. On the other hand, one of the sets of wheels 27 are arranged to be interconnected by links 101, 102 and 103, while those on the opposite side are connected by links 104,

turn interconnected 105 and 106. The links 103 and 106 are in by members 107, 108, 109, 110 and 111 respectively. To modi shown: a member 112 which may be a continuation of the member 107 and whichmay be pivotally connected the load, a power truck operab .lar e number of fy b0 'es may be han led as quickly as they to a link 113, through a link 114 to shaft 81. When the handle 80 is in a full line position shown in Fig. 5, then all sets of wheels are pointing in a direction extending longitudinally of the truck. When the handle is moved to the broken line position, then the set of linkage for actuating the wheels 26 is actuated as shown by the dash lines to shift the wheels to the position shown in the dash lines 260. Moreover, the linkage connecting the shaft 81 to the wheels 27 is actuated to shift such wheels to the position shown by the dot and dash lines indicated 7 *of funds in overhead crane equipment and at the same time facilitates the handling of freight by in which the containers may be placed upon a latform or other sup orting surface.

2 further advantage of the system as set forth hereinis that the freight may be transferred between a truck and a station platform with a minimum idle period for the truck.

To illustrate one way in which a system is operated in accordance with my invention, reference may be had to Fig. 1 wherem'a truck 120 is shown as standing in the runway adjacent the platform 10. Assuming that the truck has arrived at'the platform with a loaded body, l l'may be shifted laterally to pick up the body, raise it, transport it and deposit it upon the platform. To effect such movement the crane travel need be onl sli htly reater than twice the width 0 a ody. hereafter the cranes are disengaged from e upon the platform is moved into enga ement with the load, is actuated to raise it c ear of the plat form and then to transport itto any desired place on the platform. In the meantime, the motor truck may be driven along the truck-runway and stopped beneath the runwa for the crane 15. This crane will then pic up another body which previously w1ll have been deposited by the power truck belaterally and deposit it upon the motor increasing the available positions then the overhead crane iis truck. Thus a loading and unloading opv oration may be accomplished without necessitating any a preciable idle time of the motor truck an the operator therefor. On 1 the other hand by utilizing-a comparatively ower lift trucks, the

arrive at the latform and they may be manipulated a ut "the, platform to bring any one body as near as possible to a car into ing ,having depending v thereon.

which the freight is to be transferred. Again this system is advantageous i n that the containers may be readily manipulated on the platform to permit t e transfer of freight from one to another sub-station or 05 track terminal transfer points.

I claim: I

1. In combination, a removable automobile body having spaced downwardly facshoulders, a power lift truck having spacedarms adapted to extend along 0 posite outer sides of the body, means associated with the arms for raising the bodyand ieldable guides carried by the arms and ctioning to slidably engage the side of the body for assisting in guiding the arms during the load engaging operation.

2. A system of handling freight compriing in combination a movable automobile y rectangular in form and having the bottom, end walls and side walls, shoulders projecting outwardly from the side walls near their lower ends, and a power truck having arms adapted to embrace the sides of the automobile body beneath the shouiders, said arms being provided with power lift means adapted to shove upwardly on said shoulders.

3. The combination, with an automobile tmdy havingside walls and vertical side straps on the o -ter sides of its walls, brackets projectingl outwardly from the side stra some 'stance above the bottom of the y, of a truck having power propelling mechanism and a pair of s aced parallel arms, wheels su porting said arms, the arms being adapte to embrace the body underneath the brackets, and means on the arms raisable by power to shove upwardly on the brackets.

4.'In a system combination with' a demountabie' body having side walls, of a transfer station having a latform, a truck runway adjacent the platf drm a traveling crane mounted on tracks over anging both the truck runway and platform an raising mechanism adapted to e age the demountable automobile body, an a power truck traveling on the platform and having a pair of spaced arms adapted to embrace the same automobile body, said arms being connected together at one end, and disconnected at the other end, power mechanism at such connected end for propellin the platform truck, wheels supporting t e opposite end portions of the arms, outwardly projecting shoulders on the automobile body, and means on the arms of the -latform truck adapted to stand beneath sai shouldels and shove upwardly 5. ln a system of handling freight, the combination with a power road truck, a

of handling freight, the

demountable body in rectangular form havthe an automobile truck and ing side walls and adapted to be mounted on thetruckyand a platform truck having s aced side arms so located as to embrace t e side walls of the same body, shoulders on the sides of the body such distance above the bottom plane of the body that the truck arms may pass beneath them when the body and truck are standing on the same platform, and raising means on the side arms to on age the shoulders.

n testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

- I BENJAMIN F. FITCH.

III 

